Great program for art/theater students. Past Review
By A student (Mathematics, Arcadia University) - abroad from 06/27/2015 to 08/22/2016 with
Arcadia: Edinburgh - Scottish Universities International Summer School
I gained a job offer directly from this program. So that was worthwhile. But it was a lot of work, during the Fringe expect to work almost everyday and almost over 8 hours a day.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The class was not really suitable for my past course loads. The class was great for people who had never taken a business class before. I just found it very basic. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The Arcadia staff was always available if I needed them. They were fantastic and supportive. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The university of Edinburgh dorms were exactly like every other apartment style housing I've seen in Scotland. It wasn't that close to the main part of old town, and I'm still not sure if I know how the stove works. |
| * Food: |
Self catered, so the food is only as good as you can good. There's a few grocery stores on the main road not far from the dorm. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
During the first month of classes I didn't feel very integrated. I hung out with people I had met from previous study abroad experiences but I didn't meet anyone from Edinburgh during the class part of the experience. Even the head professor at the university was American. It was disappointing. However when I started my internship I was surrounded by both local and other international people. I integrated well with the people at my internship, so well that I have been asked back. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Edinburgh is fairly safe, but just like with any large city don't go places alone and be smart. During the month of August the population triples and the crime increases. However I never had any problems walking back to my dorm from my internship at midnight. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I disliked the classes and the paper, but the internship made everything worthwhile. I got to learn a lot about press and how the Fringe Festival works. I also became more marketable for jobs abroad because of this experience. |
Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
Getting a bus pass was the most expensive thing I did and it saved me a lot of money. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I spent maybe 50 to 80 pounds a week depending on if I traveled on my day off. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Tesco is cheaper than Sainsburys. Also getting a bus card was worth it, you can get any bus whenever around the city without having to worry about paying. Also get a rail card if you plan to travel around the rest of Scotland. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | That there were exams in the course and that the head professor was American. Also knowing where I was placed for an internship would have been nice. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
